DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 14 (UPI) — The race for the Democratic nomination for president has largely been defined by social and economic issues, but CBS said it would adjust its plans for tonight’s debate to include more on national security and foreign policy following the attacks in Paris on Friday night.
Democrats will hold their second presidential debate Saturday at 9 p.m. ET at Drake University. Producers at CBS, which is sponsoring the debate, said on Twitter within hours of the attack that it would continue as scheduled and shift to include more focus on terrorism and the Middle East.
“Last night’s attacks are a tragic example of the kind of challenges American presidents face in today’s world and we intend to ask the candidates how they would confront the evolving threat of terrorism,” said CBS News Washington Bureau Chief Chris Isham.
Given the severity of the attack, producers said they decided to shift the focus of the debate, although healthcare and the economy still will be discussed.
The Democratic field has shrunk since the party’s first debate, from five candidates to three. Former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee and former Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., have since suspended their campaigns after a lack of traction with voters.
The extra room on stage is expected to allow former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Governor Martin O’Malley to speak for time equivalent to a stump speech during the two-hour debate. Clinton continues to lead the race for the nomination, with national polls showing her carrying 54.7 percent of Democratic voters to Sanders’ 33 percent and O’Malley’s 2.7 percent, according to Real Clear Politics.
Clinton campaign strategists told NBC News the refocusing on foreign policy and national security favors their candidate, and could hurt Sanders and O’Malley. Sanders, for his part, has attracted a large following since the beginning of the summer based on his ideas for the economy, education and domestic issues.
Sanders may take more direct shots at Clinton during the debate as growth in his poll numbers has slowed in recent weeks. He has made it a point not to run a negative campaign, including an incident many analysts said was a missed opportunity — agreeing the country was tired of talking about her “damn emails” instead of taking her to task for the fiasco.
Since appearing before a Congressional committee investigating attacks on the State Department compound in Benghazi, Libya, Clinton has gained in the polls, as well as picked up important endorsements and the support of significant number of superdelegates along the way. The interrogation by members of Congress allowed her to flex her experience and knowledge of the Middle East and overall foreign policy — which is expected to benefit her tonight.
Comment count on this article reflects comments made on Breitbart.com and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.